Muppets Most Wanted, 2014.
Directed by James Bobin.
Starring Ricky Gervais, Ty Burrell, Tina Fey, Steve Whitmire, Eric Jacobson, Dave Goelz, Bill Barretta, David Rudman, Matt Vogel, Peter Linz, Tony Bennett and Hugh Bonneville.
SYNOPSIS:
While on a grand world tour, The Muppets find themselves wrapped into an European jewel-heist caper headed by a Kermit the Frog look-alike and his dastardly sidekick.
In an interview with Little White Lies, Kermit was asked what he loves about the movies. In response he announced, “I love the movies because it’s like dreaming with your eyes open.” Muppets Most Wanted may not be perfect, in fact it’s flaws are more evident than ever but as Kermit so proudly said, everything we watch is rooted in the imagination. Anything goes with The Muppets and in an era of the mundane this is something to be celebrated.
Immediately following the events of their last adventure, The Muppets find themselves at a crossroads, do they helm their skills or go on tour. Enter Dominic Badguy (Ricky Gervais), who suggests they employ him as manager and go on a world tour. Everything isn’t as it seems with the world’s most dangerous frog Constantine using Badguy as a way of manipulating The Muppets, kidnapping Kermit and replacing him. Let madness ensue.
And madness certainly does ensue. Director James Bobin is well aware of the fundamental irreverence of the product and he welcomes this with a warm embrace. From the off set, there is a sense of the random. Not in a manner that has lead to the failure of many a feature, but in a manner attached only to The Muppets. “We’re doing a sequel, That’s what we do in Hollywood and everyone know the sequel’s never quite as good,” seemingly encompasses this. Ambition is something to be celebrated and though there’s an inevitable element of failure, Bobin has achieved the upmost of success.
Pushing the celebrity however can only go so far before the audience become far too adept to these cameos. An argument can be made as to the breaking of the fourth wall-a concept evident throughout Muppet history-but Most Wanted almost takes the biscuit. Ricky Gervais carries the pomposity and gross sense of obnoxiousness from his stint as host of the Golden Globes into the film creating an effect of alienation. The film has to work around him in order to create a sense of coherency. His only musical number is out of place and fits awkwardly among the playful silliness of “We’re Doing a Sequel” and “The Big House” (a quite brilliant doo-wop number).
To truly dislike Muppets Most Wanted represents a certain sense of cynicism. Of course, it lacks the charm of “Man or Muppet” or the impossibly lovely “Life’s a Happy Song,” but it compensates this with a Pink Panther-esque sensibility and a plot so gloriously irreverent, it’s really quite difficult to dislike. Sit through the final number “The Muppets Again, Again” and not break into a ear to ear grin and then we can talk.
Flickering Myth Rating – Film: ★ ★ ★ ★ / Movie: ★ ★ ★ ★
Thomas Harris
Originally published March 29, 2014. Updated April 12, 2018.
